The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-12-17

"You can bet it's about the rough
est road in the whole country. That's
why Pm working it. But Charley
Hicks is driving tonight and he's
so careful I'm afraid there isn't any
chance" There was no longer any
doubt that the man was mad. l
glanced round the car to see if there
was an unoccupied seat to which l
could conveniently move. There
was not. / had heard it was always
best to humor maniacs, so | thought
| would draw him out.
at seems to me as if you would
not mind being in an accident" /
began.
"Mind it that's what I'm looking
for Do you think I'd ride on this
miserable. road for anything else ?"
l was clearly in for it now. i
must keep him talking and interest,"
ed.
"Why do you want an uccident?"
l asked, expecting him to tell me
how he loved to hear the timbers
smashing, the glass splintering, and
fairly reveling over the scene of hor-
ror and suffering.
81 live on 'em," he calmly an
swered, "but this Internal road seem
to have a grudge against me. I've
been working it for two months and
must have spent nigh on to hun
dred dollars for tickets, and haven't
made a cent. Only last week there
was beautiful smash up to this
very train, and would you believe it,
| was almost the only passenger
who wasn't badly hurt"
l was just about to congratulate
him on his escape when l unfortun-
ately remembered his mental condi-
ton, and checked myself in time.
Glow do you manage to live on
accidents ?" 1 inquired.
because I'm insured. OF course,
it don't pay every one to get insur-
ed. It's lottery, but SO far I've
been very fortunate. Do you see
that leg ?" he said, poking his right
out toward me-
81 do"
"Feel the ankle and the foot"
Now l did not desire to investi-
gate his anatomy, but, as / was still
uncertain about his responsibility, l
complied.
at feels pretty hard" 1 observed
after lingering it very gently.
"Don't be afraid of hurting me-"
he said "it's wood !"
"Wood" l calculated.
eyes, some time before my first
accident--that foot was my first--a
friend persuaded me to take out an
accident policy. l was profession
al billiardist, and | travelled about
good deal playing matches and Civ
ing exhibitions. Well, / got into
smashup, and that's the result. l
got $1,000 for that foot, but my
trade was gone. l couldn't move
fast enough round a table to play in
public, so l hired a room and went
into the business of keeping tables.
1t didn't pay, and lost nearly all
my money. wasn't good for any
thing else, and didn't know what
to turn to. One day l struck
bright idea. AN accident took
away my living it only fair that |
accidents should keep mep 1 said.
So l began looking out for likely
bits of road, and it wasn't much
more than a month before was on
beauty. Do you see this" he con-
tinued, pointing to the eye, the glare
of which had so frightened me-
81 do" l mildly answered.
"It's glass. Isn't it a darling?
So natural it deceives every one"
"It quite deceived me-" l was able
to remark, with absolute truth.
"Glad you like it. I'll give you
the address of the make, in case you
should ever want one or two. He's
away ahead-the best in the bust
ness. Well, that eye was another
$780,"
mot much for an eye w sympa-
thetically murmured.
"No, it wasn't enough. You see
they pay $1,000 for two eyes, and I
don't think the proportion is right.
But did better next time. Feel |
that arm p
1 did as l was bid, and inquired |
if it was wood.
"Papier machel" he said, proudly.
cts away ahead of wood for light
ness and strength. Made by Mason
best in the biz. Go to him if you
ever want anything in that line"
"How much did the arm bring
you ?"